Fae-r Fight
by bitchdoilooklikeawizard
Summary: Someone requested I do a fic in which Tamsin teaches the Valkubaby to fight at a young age and Bo doesn't like it at first.
1. Chapter 1

"Tamsin..." Bo called slowly, watching Tamsin raise her fists at Aoife.

"What up, Succubus?" Tamsin distractedly called back.

"What are you doing?" Bo shouted. Tamsin reminded Bo of a boxer in the ready stance and that bothered Bo.

Tamsin dropped her fists and sighed, "What's it look like I'm doing, Succulette?"

"It looks like you're getting ready to punch the sh-" Bo cut herself off and revised her sentence. "It looks like you're getting ready to punch her."

"You're damn right!" Tamsin laughed.

"Tamsin!" Bo scolded her for the swear. "This isn't funny."

"Dude, relax. I'm just teaching the Valkulette how to dance with her enemies."

"You're not my enemy..." the four-year-old innocently interjected as she tugged at Tamsin's pockets. "You're my mommy."

"I know, Sweetie. We're just pretending," Tamsin told her. "It'll be fun."

"Mommy doesn't look too happy..." Aoife pointed to Bo.

"She's right, Tamsin. I'm not happy. Why are you teaching her to fight? She's only four!"

"Mommy says I'm four and three-quarters," Aoife corrected her. "And she told me that that was close enough."

"Well, I don't say that it's close enough," Bo replied sternly.

"It is," Tamsin argued. "It definitely is."

"What makes you think that?"

"She needs to know how to protect herself, Bo. We don't know when a dangerous Fae is going to randomly show up. She needs to know this."

"But _we're _here," Bo retorted. "That's _our_ job. As the parents, _we _need to protect and fight for her. She shouldn't be doing it herself."

_No one should be left to fend for him or herself, _Bo thought. _It's not fair to be alone like that._

"Bo..." Tamsin paused. "There will come a time when we're not around, okay? And I-"

"So we can teach her later on, before then."

"I would like to teach her while I still can. Later on isn't promised," Tamsin finished with a sigh. Weariness and vulnerability flickered into her eyes for only a moment before she shook it off, concealed it, and returned to her usual sardonic and defensive countenance. "So I'm taking the opportunity to teach her now, whether you like it or not."

Bo sighed in defeat and turned to leave.

"I'm warning you, Tamsin... If she gets hurt or seriously injures someone, it's on you. I just want you to know that," Bo told Tamsin. "And I'm being dead serious."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Tamsin rolled her eyes and she raised her fists again at Aoife.


	2. Chapter 2

"Tamsin, where's Aoife?" Bo asked, as worry began to settle itself in the pit of her stomach. "Wasn't she just with you?"

"Funny..." Tamsin replied slowly. "I was just about to say that to you..."

"Tamsin!" Bo whispered harshly, not wanting to cause a scene in the store.

"_What!?_" Tamsin half-shouted back. This got a few stares, but she ignored it.

"I told you to watch her!" Bo scolded.

"Funny!" Tamsin's voice grew louder. "I could've sworn I said the same thing to you!"

"Would you stop it with that?" Bo managed to still keep her voice low. "It's not funny. We don't know where she is!"

"Oh, would you relax? Geez!" Tamsin rolled her eyes, but inside she felt a panic ignite. "Where did you last see her? She's probably still there."

"No I will not relax! And I won't 'chill out' or 'unclench' or 'chillax.' She is missing and we don't know where to find her!"

"Alright, well... You check with the security guards. I will start looking around the store, okay?" Tamsin responded as she walked away. "We will find her."

Tamsin searched every aisle for their daughter, but never saw her or even a sign that she had been there. Her heart pounded in her chest and horrible thoughts poured into her mind; possible scenarios of where Aoife could be and what could be happening to her at that very moment. She swallowed hard and kept searching, trying to focus and stay alert.

Bo made her way over to the security guards and asked them if they'd seen a girl who resembled herself.

"No, Ma'am," one answered. His name tag read: Mallory. "Course I'd remember a face like yours."

"One, _ew._ Two, my face is up _here_," Bo shot back. She stepped closer and placed a hand on his wrist. She sent persuasive impulses up his arm and to his head. "Did you see _anyone _leave with a girl like the one I just described?"

"N-No, Ma'am," he stuttered.

"Are you _sure?_ May I see some security tapes? You'd be doing me... a _huge _favor."

"Y-Yes," he swallowed hard and cleared his throat. "L-Let me get those tapes for you. Follow me."

Bo walked behind him with cocky strides and a smug smirk on her face. He led her into a dark room with multiple TVs whose screens displayed various areas of the store, but focused mainly on the entrances, exits, and the registers.

"Um... Here's the footage from a few minutes ago," he told her, trying to meet her gaze which was fixed on the playback. Bo watched her child wander an aisle over to look at some toys. "You're so... _pretty..._"

Bo's gaze darted to him for a moment, then back to a screen. She'd heard that line before too many times.

"Thanks," she replied halfheartedly.

"Is... that your kid?" he asked, still trying to get a look at Bo's face.

"Yes, that's her. She-"

Bo stopped as she watched a mysterious black cloud appear out of nowhere and engulf the child.

"That _bastard_..." Bo muttered to herself.

"W-What is that?" Mallory asked, his eyes wide with fear. He watched the child disappear into thin air.

"Uh... a glitch in your tape? I don't know..." Bo struggled to think of something more plausible, but came up with nothing.

"A-Are you sure? Do you, uh... Do you want me to call the police?"

"I'm already on it," Bo responded as she began dialling Dyson's number. "But who knows how much of a help they'll be."


	3. Chapter 3

"And you're sure your _father _has her?" Dyson asked Bo. He made sure to keep his voice even to make it seem as if he was only asking to clarify, but really it was because he was terrified.

"No, Dyson. It's just Tinkerbell," Tamsin retorted facetiously. She couldn't help it. Whenever she was under pressure, her dry humour was her shield.

"Hm. That's what I thought," Dyson replied with the same flippant tone.

"Dyson, this isn't a joke," Bo warned him. She turned to Tamsin and looked up so she could look her straight in the eyes. "And you! Stop baiting him!"

"Babe... I'm sorry," Tamsin apologized sincerely. "I'm just... really freaking out right now."

"So am I, Tams. So am I," Bo murmured. "So! What're we going to do about this?"

"I don't know, Bo," Dyson replied, his voice wavering on her name.

"Hold up. Wolfman, are you _scared_?" Tamsin asked, finally picking up on his fear. "This is our daughter we're talking about. We need to think fast. Who knows why _he_ wants her..."

"Well, I can't just go and snatch her back either. He obviously wanted her for _something_," Dyson replied.

"How do I get there?" Bo asked suddenly. Dyson and Tamsin looked at her as if she had just announced that she was marrying Kenzi.

"Bo-" Dyson began.

"No. I want to know how to get there. If you don't want to go after her, then fine. Whatever. But _I _do. So how do I get there?"

"Bo... As far as I know, he's the only one I've ever seen get into his place. I don't even know where it is. I can't even track him."

Tamsin looked at Dyson out of the corners of her eyes and backed up a few steps with her arms crossed. She bit her cheek and stared at the floor.

"It's okay, Tamsin," Bo went over and put her arm around the Valkyrie's waist, taking Tamsin's withdrawal from the conversation as fear. "We'll find her. I promise."

Tamsin's green eyes looked at Bo, then their gaze went back to the floor. Tamsin's phone began to vibrate in her pocket and she reluctantly pulled away from the Succubus' grasp to answer it.

"Tamsin, Tamsin, Tamsin..." a baritone voice chanted with a scolding tone. "I remember you."

"What is it? What do you want now?" Tamsin hissed into the phone, being careful not to draw attention to herself from Dyson and Bo.

"_You _are the Valkyrie closest to its expiration date, if I am not mistaken..." the voice went on. "And you are the one who did not deliver the unaligned Succubus to me."

"Yes, I realize that, Sir. But-"

"Let me finish. You know better than to interrupt me," the voice had adopted a dangerous tone. "You did not deliver the Succubus to me. That was strike one. And-"

"Please don't tell me that you took Aoife just to get back at me..." Tamsin's voice hoarsely wavered as a lump rose in her throat.

"What did I just say!?" the angry voice boomed in her ear. "Do _not_ interrupt me! You did _not _deliver the Succubus to me-"

"Bo."

The caller sighed annoyedly and said, "_Yes_. I am quite aware of her name. You did not deliver _Ysabeau_ to me. And now you also have not delivered Aoife to me. I had to come for them myself and you know how I hate making appearances. That is your second strike and this is my last warning to you. Value your life, value my marks. Understood?"

"Yes," Tamsin whispered.

"The next one you do not deliver signs your death certificate."

"I understand."

"Who are you talking to, Tamsin?" Bo called across the room.

"Father," Tamsin answered, wording her response carefully so she wouldn't be lying. She then noticed that the line had disconnected. She put away her phone and walked over to Dyson and Bo. "Don't know how to get into _his _lair, huh? Give me some time. Let me see what I can do."

"What do you mean?" Dyson asked, suddenly suspicious of the blonde Valkyrie's intentions.

"She's my daughter... And I'll go to the ends of the earth for her," Tamsin answered cleverly. "Just let me see what I can do."

Tamsin walked outside, made sure no one she knew was within earshot of her and tried calling _him_.

"What do you want now, Valkyrie?" _he _asked inpatiently. "_I _call _you_. Not the other way around."

"I will deliver the Succubus to you now."

"I did not ask for her now."

"But I-"

"It is too late to try to erase a strike."

Tamsin said nothing.

"Why? This would not have anything to do with you wanting to get Aoife back... Would it?"

"No... I-"

"You know better than to lie to me, Valkyrie."

"Okay, yes. I would like my daughter back."

"But she is _not _your daughter. She is begotten by Ysabeau, Succubus; begotten by myself and Aife, Succubus; begotten by Fitzpatrick McCorrigan, Blood Sage King and Isabeau-"

"Yeah. I got it," Tamsin rolled her eyes at his Bible-like talk.

"You did not birth the child," _he _continued, excusing the fact that Tamsin had interrupted him. "So she is not yours. She is of the Succubus. And I do not hear the Succubus wanting her offspring back."

"But she does, Sir-"

"Do not speak for my child who is highly capable of speaking for herself."

"Then would you like to speak with her yourself? I'm sure she'd love to tell you how much she wants her child back."

"Go ahead, Valkyrie. Give the phone to Ysabeau. I dare you."

"And if I do?"

"The moment you hand the phone is the last moment you will ever lay eyes on her. Is that clear?"

"Can you at least tell me why you want her daughter?"

"Is it suddenly illegal for a man to wish to visit his grandchild? I was not aware of the new rule. But then again... I am not big on rules."

"You're no man," Tamsin responded and rushed inside and over to Bo. She handed her the phone, despite what _he _had threatened.

"You're _dead_, Valkyrie!" he hollered before the phone reached Bo. "Do you hear me? _DEAD!_"

_You're right_, Tamsin thought. _I am already dead. But Aoife and Bo are the two things that make me feel alive and I will fight for both of them if I have to._

"Hello? Who's-" Bo never got to finish her sentence. A black cloud cut her off as it came out of the phone and began to envelop her.

"I-I thought..." Mallory stuttered as he came over to the group of Fae. "Sh-She told me it was a tape glitch!"

"Dammit!" Dyson swore under his breath. "Tamsin."

"Already on it, Wolfboy," she responded as she pulled her hair back. Her heart sunk, knowing that she was using up precious energy on a mere human rather than a worthy opponent as she allowed her true face to show through her human-like one. Mallory's eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he watched the blonde's beautiful face fade away to be replaced by a skeletal one that resembled a skull.

"W-Wha..." Mallory dropped to the ground before he could finish.

"Good, Tamsin!" Dyson told her as his eyes followed the human to the floor. But Tamsin didn't hear his words of praise. A loud whirring sound invaded her ears and her heart palpitated as the corners of her vision began to blur and fade black. "Tamsin? Tamsin, you don't look so well..."

"Shut up," she retorted breathlessly and blindly. Her forehead felt hot and she could barely see anything. She knew her body wanted to pass out, but she tried to fight it anyway.

"Can I get you something? Is there anything that'll help-"

Tamsin's eyes finally closed and her body won as she too dropped to the ground. Her head made a sickening crack as it hit the floor, causing Dyson to wince.

"Tamsin... What were you thinking?" Dyson chided the unconscious Valkyrie. "Bo's never going to get out of there..."

Dyson pressed two fingers to the security guard's neck, checking for a pulse. After her found it, he picked Tamsin up with ease and brought her to his truck.


	4. Chapter 4

"Oh good. You're awake," Dyson remarked as he watched Tamsin's eyes snap open. "You took a pretty nasty fall."

"I had a nightmare that I woke up and the first thing I saw was your face— oh... Oops. I guess it's really happening," Tamsin replied flatly.

"And I guess you're feeling okay too," Dyson muttered. "What did you _do?_ You got Bo sucked into a phone!"

"I did what I had to," Tamsin sighed. "And what I have to do is none of your business."

Tamsin sat up and finally realised she was in Dyson's vehicle. The interior was neat and smelled of a pine air freshener with an undertone of dog. She looked outside and saw that the day had gone from a warm sunny day to an overcast one.

"Well, I'm going to go talk to Trick... Maybe he can figure something out," Dyson told her. He jumped out of the truck and began walking.

"You can drive your truck, you know. You don't have to leave me in here... I'll be fine," Tamsin called to him. He turned around quickly and jogged back.

"Really? Great! I was hoping I wouldn't have to walk the whole way back. Out," he commanded. Tamsin got out and stood on the pavement, struggling to maintain her balance for a few seconds. "Are you sure you're going to be alright, Tamsin?"

"Yeah, fine. Leave me," Tamsin assured him. Dyson still didn't completely believe her, but he didn't have much time to waste. Tamsin pressed her palms to her eyes as she heard Dyson speed away. As she removed her hands from her face, her vision refocused. "Dyson's right... What _did_ I do?"

Tamsin made sure Dyson was completely out of the area before walking to an alleyway where she knew a "friend" of hers would be. Sure enough, the Druid was there. He stood with his back to her and seemed to be interested in studying the ground. She hated talking to him, but he was all she had.

"Tamsin. I've been expecting you. After all, we only talk every century or two. You really don't like me that much, do you?"

"No," Tamsin responded curtly. She crossed her arms and shifted her weight onto her left foot.

"Good. I'm not the biggest fan either," he told her. "You know who I talked to earlier today?"

"I don't really care. Give me my mix and I'll be off and out of your way."

"Oh, I think you do care," he countered. "It was _him_. The Wanderer. And do you want to know what he told me?"

"Even if I say that I don't want to know, you're going to tell me," Tamsin sighed impatiently. "So what did he say, Massimo?"

"He told me to give you a message.""What is it? Just tell me," Tamsin snapped.

"I can't tell you."

"You're a dick," she stated.

"I have to literally give it to you."

The Druid took out what looked like a little test tube containing a small rolled up piece of paper and held it out to Tamsin. Tamsin stared at it, her arms still crossed in front of her chest.

"Is this a joke?"

"No. He said if you don't take it, someone else will get it and everything won't be a secret. Oh, and I think he really is messing with you."

"Why's that?"

"Because you shouldn't even bother opening it. I tried and the cork wouldn't budge."

"You tried opening a message addressed to _me?_" Tamsin's voice rose as she snatched the tube from him.

"Yeah. And here's your mix. Just the way I like my girls: with a little kick."

"Well, it's a good thing I don't have a little kick to me. I have a big kick. And you need to learn how to control your curiosity. Haven't you ever heard of the saying, 'Curiosity killed the cat?'" Tamsin snapped at him as she snatched the needle.

"Yeah, I have."

"Well, let's just say that next time, I'm curiosity and you're the cat."

"Is that a threat? What're you of all Fae going to do? You can't Valkyrie out on me. You'll go into a permanent coma. And you don't have enough strength to even raise your fists at me. That's an empty threat and it's pathetic. Especially coming from you."

Tamsin walked up closer to him and leaned into his face. With a low and dangerous tone she whispered, "That isn't an empty threat. My threats are _never_ empty. And _you_ of all people should know _that_."

Tamsin raised her right arm and punched Massimo square in the jaw with all the force she had, knocking him to the ground.

"My strength will surprise you," she called behind herself as she strutted away confidently. As she rounded the corner of a building, she saw him sitting on the ground and rubbing his jaw annoyedly. She smirked, then ducked into the building which turned out to be a small cafe. She collapsed into a seat and dropped her "tough girl" act, completely wiped from her little meeting with the Druid. She'd waited to let her fatigue get to her so he wouldn't see just how weak she was. She sighed, completely ashamed of herself.

"Can I get you something?" a young man asked. He stood about six feet tall, bending over slightly to rest one hand on the table in front of Tamsin and the other on the back of her chair.

"N-No," Tamsin sighed weakly. "No thanks."

"I hate to be insensitive, but you don't look too good. You look like you're feeling a little down or tired or something... Can I sit with you?"

Tamsin didn't have the energy to tell him off, so she just nodded and looked away as he sat down across from her. She fiddled with a salt shaker and stared at the table.

"You sure you're not hungry? I'll pay, if that's what you need. Sometimes when I look like that, it's because I haven't eaten in a while. People's sugar levels can get off sometimes," he smiled genuinely.

"No, I'm good," Tamsin managed a small smile.

"Okay," he nodded. "Is it something personal?"

_Who the hell is he to prod at me? _Tamsin wondered. _But he's only trying to be nice. Oh, what the hell..._

"Yeah... I feel like I'm _dying_," Tamsin forced a laugh at her morbid joke. The man chuckled nervously.

"Well, I get down like that too sometimes. But you know what? You just have to pick yourself up and dust yourself off. You'll get over it."

"I've made a huge mistake," Tamsin went on, only half-listening to him. She lifted her green eyes to meet his warm brown eyes which gazed intently back.

"I've made mistakes," he told her softly. "I've made so many, sometimes I don't know how I live with myself. But you know what I do each time? I try to fix whatever it is that I did. I try to make it right."

"And if you can't reverse what you've done?"

"There's never been a time when I haven't fixed it. I may not have completely fixed all my mistakes, but I've at least fixed them to some degree. I don't give up when it comes to my own errors."

"You remind me of my girlfriend," Tamsin remarked, finally feeling like she was getting some energy back.

"Girlfriend, huh?" the man asked curiously. Tamsin thought she'd seen something mysterious flicker in his eyes, but she couldn't be sure.

"Yeah... her name's Bo."

"Bo..." he tried out the name on his tongue. "That's a unique name."

"Well, it's short for—" Tamsin stopped herself.

Why am I unloading all of this on him? she wondered. The man waited for her to finish her sentence.

"Ysabeau," Tamsin finished.

"That's even more unique than Bo," he exclaimed. "And your name is?"

"Tamsin."

"Ah, well I go by Var," he told her. "Don't laugh."

"I'm not going to laugh," she smiled. She felt herself relax, but that also worried her.

"So, since you're being so honest with me... Can I be honest with you?"

"Sure."

"Well, I think you're cute. You have hair brighter gold than the sun itself and these wicked fierce jade eyes that seem to pierce through my soul. And I'm wondering if you came here alone."

"Var, I have a _girlfriend_..." Tamsin reminded him. She felt herself blush slightly and her heart picked up speed.

"Oh, you meant girlfriend as in a significant other. I'm sorry. My bad," he apologised, looking sheepish.

"Hey, it's okay," Tamsin told him.

_Bo... Speaking of her, she's probably never getting out of there_, a voice in Tamsin's head told her. _Pursue this. Pursue him._

"You okay? You're looking a little... confused. Or torn about something," Var remarked.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Var had a cocky smile on his face and a mischievous glint in his eyes, but nevertheless, Tamsin couldn't deny that there was something awfully attractive and appealing about him. As a silence settled between them, Tamsin checked him out from the corner of her eye. He wore black leather pants, and a wine-coloured collared shirt with a black leather jacket over it. He had the first couple buttons undone and had left the shirt untucked. But despite his semi-formal getup, he wore expensive-looking high tops which were also black. He had soft-looking brown hair and warm brown eyes on his not-so-tan face.

"Look... As fun as this has been, I better get going," Tamsin told him suddenly. He looked shocked that she wanted to leave so suddenly. "Don't take it personally."

"I'll try not to," he replied with another one of his dazzling smiles. Tamsin got up and walked by him slowly, trying to stay upright. Her vision kept fading in and out and she heard the scraping of chair legs, but the sound seemed far away.

Var stood up and went to follow Tamsin, but just as he approached her from behind, her knees buckled and she collapsed right in front of him. He caught her at the very last second and pulled her upright again.

"Tamsin, are you _drunk?_" he murmured into her left ear.

"No. I'm fine," Tamsin replied weakly as she pushed him away. She teetered and she put her hands out for balance.

"Let me take you home... You obviously need to rest..." he told her. He then muttered to himself, "And other possible issues you need to work out..."

"I-I'm fine," Tamsin breathed.

"No, you're _not_ fine," Var insisted. He put one of her hands around his shoulder and supported her. "C'mon."

Var walked with Tamsin outside, but noticed that she didn't seem to have a truck or any other vehicle to drive home with.

"Do you need a ride?" Var asked, concerned.

"I walked here," Tamsin answered softly. Her consciousness was fading fast.

"Where do you live?"

"Dude, I live in my truck."

"Really?"

Tamsin blankly thought for a moment and answered, "I live with my girlfr– Bo. I live with my Bo."

"Okay, well... Where does this Bo reside?" he asked.

Tamsin told him about the abandoned building the Succubus had made her home. He helped Tamsin into his black BMW convertible and got in the driver's side.

"Just promise me one thing before we start driving," he turned to face Tamsin, who struggled to keep her eyes open. "Just don't die on me. Okay, beautiful?"

Tamsin managed to nod twice before completely passing out.


	5. Chapter 5

Dyson sat on a bar stool, three away from Lauren and one away from Kenzi.

"Trick, I need to know how to get Bo back," Dyson repeated slowly for the old Blood King.

"You've said that already," Lauren shot Dyson a look. "_Twice_."

"And I understood the first time," Trick responded flatly. "And what about Aoife? Bo's not the only one who might need your help..."

"But you said you didn't know what to do," Dyson reminded him.

"Because I don't. He rarely comes after other Fae. He usually sends his minions after them... even Valkyries. That's why I'm so nervous about the whole Bo and Tamsin situation. Tamsin is a Wanderer magnet," the Blood King came around the bar of the Dal to get closer to Dyson.

"What do we even really know about this guy other than the fact that he fathered one of the most powerful Fae?" Kenzi asked, trying to review the facts as she got up and began to pace.

"We don't know much," Lauren replied. "He can travel anywhere he wants to travel and take others with him. He usually keeps to himself and doesn't show much mercy. He's obviously powerful, otherwise he wouldn't be capable of overseeing so many Fae. They'd rebel."

"Lauren's right. Our knowledge of him is very scarce. We don't have enough to help us with this situation," Trick agreed. "I'm sorry, Dyson."

"How are you so calm?" Dyson yelled. "Bo _and_ her daughter are both stuck out there, maybe not even stuck out there together, and we're standing here like undomesticated apes and scratching our asses saying things like, 'Uhhhhh... I dunno...' We aren't getting anywhere!"

"Dyson, could you be more specific as to which type of ape we're behaving similar to?" Lauren asked. "There are many different types and, despite popular beliefs, they're not all that stupid. They can figure things out and—"

Dyson shot her a mean glare and shut her right up. Kenzi, who'd temporarily stopped pacing to watch this unfold, began pacing again.

"What I mean is... If apes can figure things out, so can we..." Lauren told him, trying to calm him down.

"This... This is great," Dyson muttered and forced a laugh. "We're stuck with freakin' Jane Goodall here and we're still at square one."

"Dyson," Trick said in warning. "Don't push it. I'll throw you out if I have to. Fighting isn't going to solve anything."

Dyson bit his tongue and crossed his arms tightly. Kenzi went back over to the bar and sat down on her stool again. Lauren looked over at Dyson out of the corner of her eye before cautiously walking over to Trick.

"I'll see what I can find," she told him softly as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "But if I know anything—"

Dyson snorted and Kenzi shot him a look.

"—I know that Bo will be okay. And if she's okay, then her child will be too. Because she'd die if anything happened to her. That's just how she is."

Dyson rolled his eyes and stared at the floor, but he knew Lauren was right. Bo's heart was too noble to let her survive if her own child didn't. It'd stop beating a second after her child's did. Lauren slipped quietly out of the Dal, leaving Dyson, Kenzi, and Trick behind.

"You need to respect Lauren," Trick scolded the shapeshifter.

"I do."

"That's a bunch of Ophiotaurus shit and you know it," Trick retorted. "All you do is doubt her and criticise her and ignore her. She's trying to help. She _is_ helpful, but you wouldn't know that because you never give her the chance. You never even give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe if you listened to her, you'd actually learn something for once."

Trick stormed away, leaving Dyson alone with Kenzi.

_Orphio-something shit? What the Fae does that mean!? _she wondered. She bit her bottom lip, feeling awkward and not wanting to ask the pressing question on her mind.

"What does Orphio-something-or-other mean?" Kenzi asked in a small voice.

"_Orphiotaurus_," Dyson sharply corrected her. "And it's a creature that's half bull and half snake."

"So it's the Fae equivalent to 'bullshit,' right?"

"Kind of. It's half bullshit and half snakeshit... Snakes are often thought of as treacherous, deceitful, and cunning. So basically it's calling someone a liar and a sly traitor."

"Oh," Kenzi whispered to herself.

"But uh..." Dyson cleared his throat and struggled to soften his tone. "You can't just throw that term around like you can with the word 'bullshit.' With this term, you want it to sting. And you mean it sincerely with every inch of your being. It's a very hostile term."

"Okay," Kenzi murmured. "Got it."

_So Trick must be really pissed at Dyson, then_... Kenzi thought. _Yikes._

Dyson got up and announced, "I'm going to see what I can find... We all know to meet back here anyway—"

"Dyson, I'm routing for you. I really am," Kenzi interrupted. "But you have to let others do their thing too. _You're_ going to see what _you_ can find. Because _your_ word is what you trust most. I get that you're beyond annoyed with Trick and I know that you definitely don't like leaving things up to Lauren—"

"Kenzi," Dyson cut her off.

"But what about Tamsin?" Kenzi continued, ignoring the warning in Dyson's voice. "She's... Yeah, okay whatever. But I'm sure she knows a few things too. Where is she, anyway? Did you just leave her?"

Dyson met Kenzi's stare with an apologising look.

"Dyson! You told me Tamsin collapsed and you just _left her there!?l_"

"She can handle herself," Dyson muttered.

"No she can't. Not all the time. I used to say that shit too, but sometimes people _do_ need help, whether they'll admit it or not."

"Fine," Dyson sighed, knowing Kenzi was right. "I'll go look for her."

Kenzi nodded with a small smile over her triumph as Dyson grabbed his jacket and began to walk out.

"THEN I'll go see what I can find," he told her as he ducked out. Kenzi shook her head.


	6. Chapter 6

Aoife woke out of a sound sleep and realised she was in a huge bed. She had been placed there gently and tucked in and she was confused as to why because neither of her mothers were there to have done that. She slid off the bed on her stomach, feet first and landed on the floor. She knew something was off. The entire atmosphere didn't feel right.

"Hi, sweetie! It's good to know that you're awake now," a blonde woman with a soothing voice said to her as she walked over to her. The woman was a few inches shorter than six feet and wore a white flowing dress. She had the sweetest sounding voice Aoife had ever heard and the most genuine smile. Aoife didn't answer her because she was taught not to speak to strangers. "I'm a friend... of your grandfather."

"My grandfather?" Aoife asked, deciding it was okay to speak. She looked up into the woman's green eyes. "I don't know him."

"Well you will... Shortly," the woman offered her a small smile.

"Do you know my mom?" Aoife asked her, noticing that the woman resembled Tamsin. "You kind of look like her."

"I don't know, what is your mother's name?" the woman asked, keeping the smile plastered on her face.

"Mmm..." Aoife thought for a moment, not used to referring to her mother by her first name. "Tamsin."

"Tamsin... is she really your mother?" the woman asked with an unreadable tone. "She gave birth to you?"

"Well, no... My other mom gave birth to me," Aoife told her proudly. "Her name is Bo."

"Her name is Bo..." the woman repeated. "Okay, well I can tell you that I _do_ know Tamsin. Her and I go way back."

"Really?" Aoife's eyes widened. "My mom never talks about her friends..."

"Your mom is Bo. Not Tamsin," the woman told Aoife.

"But—"

"Uh-uh," the woman interrupted her.

"Where am I?" Aoife asked her, changing the subject. "What's your name?"

"You can call me..." the woman thought for a moment. "Bel. You're at your grandfather's place. He wanted to see you."

"My grandfather wanted to see me?"

"Yes."

"That's so cool! I've never met him!" Aoife exclaimed, unaware of the possibility of danger. "When can I meet him?"

"When he calls for a meeting with you," the woman answered.

"When he calls? Why can't I go now?" Aoife wondered. "Wait a second, is he a king!?"

"Sort of. You could say that," the woman's smile had become strained.

"Do you know my grandmother?"

"Yes. Did your mom, Bo, not tell you about her? You were named after her. Her name is Aife."

"No, I meant since you know my mom, Tamsin, you might know my grandmother on her side," Aoife insisted on calling Tamsin her mother.

"No. I don't," the woman replied through clenched teeth. Her tone was still soft and friendly, but her expression said she was losing patience. "Tamsin and I... We aren't _that_ close. Besides. Whoever her mother is... Well, she isn't your grandmother. You two are not related."

"Yes we are!" Aoife insisted.

"Fine!" the woman snapped. She quickly regained her composure and adjusted her tone of voice. "Think what you want. But what you think isn't necessarily right."

Aoife crossed her arms over her chest and pouted at the woman.

"I must go now," the woman told her in an airy voice. "See you later?"

Aoife didn't reply. She was annoyed with the woman telling her that Tamsin wasn't her mom when she knew for a fact that she was. The woman exited gracefully and quietly closed the door behind her.

"Is she alive?" a disembodied baritone voice demanded to know.

"Yes, she survived the trip, Sir."

"What did she say?"

"She still believes that Tamsin is her mother, Sir," the woman reported.

"And?"

"She does not know why she is here, if that is what you are asking. I told her nothing."

"Good. Keep it that way. I am waiting for her results."

"Sir?"

"The results to tell me what she is."

"So you felt it too?" the woman asked. "You also felt that she feels like a Valkyrie, despite having come from a Succubus."

"Yes," the voice sighed heavily. "I also sensed that."

The woman stood in silence.

"Get it off your chest now, Jezebel."

"I just do not understand why you have me doing this job—"

"You are weak and close to the end of your life cycle. You are not of any value to me. Not anymore. You look like Tamsin and you have a bright visage, despite your true nature so you can get her to trust you."

"Right, Sir. I remember now," Jezebel sighed. "And when I find your Succubus?"

"Bring her to me. And if you do not follow these orders, your outcome will not be as lucky as that of Tamsin."

"Rightfully so, Sir."

"And one more thing, Jezebel."

"Yes, Sir?"

"What did you tell her your name was?"

"Bel."

"Good. I've trained you well."

_'Trained you well.' That's a bunch of bullshit! What am I, some kind of underfae? NO! I am a Valkyrie!_ Jezebel thought angrily. _I can be of assistance. I CAN help. I'm not completely helpless, you just have to give me a chance!_

She began wandering about, hoping to stumble upon the Wanderer's precious little Succubus.

_Bel... Why the hell would he have me tell her that's my name? That's a stupid name... I am Jezebel! He made me lie to that little girl for what? HIS own benefit! Tamsin and I are NOT friends. I HATE that Valkyrie... If I get my hands on her, he'll be lucky if she gets to him alive, _Jezebel fumed. _Who am I shitting? He owns me and here I am making stupid empty threats. No wonder Tamsin is his favourite... No wonder she gets all the good assignments. And what do I get? I get stuck with some stupid little kid! And Tamsin just disobeys him and he spares her. If that were me, he'd have killed me on the spot, no questions asked._

Jezebel heard a groan and noticed a brunette woman lying in a heap, in an obviously weakened state and struggling to push herself up off the ground. Jezebel rolled her eyes and put on a friendly façade.

"Hey, are you okay?" Jezebel asked, her voice dripping with concern. She helped the woman up and brushed her off.

"Yeah... I think so," the woman replied. "Where am I?"

_Like mother like daughter,_ Jezebel thought.

"Um, I don't know..." she answered, making sure to infuse her voice with confusion. "Did you get dropped here too?"

"What? Oh... Yeah, I guess I did. So the Wanderer took you too?"

"Uh, yeah... I mean, I guess so. Is that what he's called?"

"Yeah... At least, that's how he referred to himself to me."

"Oh. He's very mysterious, isn't he?" Jezebel paused for a moment. She smiled, extended a hand to the woman and said, "Jezebel."

"Bo," the woman replied back, accepting the hand and shaking it. She looked up at Jezebel's jade eyes. "So how long have you been here?"

"Uh... I don't know. It feels like it's been forever!" Jezebel sighed.

"It's like a prison," Bo agreed.

"I absolutely abhor prisons," Jezebel remarked. Bo tensed up and looked at Jezebel, remembering that her very own mother had once said those exact words. "What?"

"Oh, nothing," Bo said quickly. Suddenly, everything came back to Bo. She remembered how she'd gotten there and suddenly felt very angry at Tamsin. Jezebel sensed this and grew worried for her own safety around Bo.

"You're looking kind of furious..." Jezebel stated.

"Yeah, I am actually..." Bo paused, not sure if she should begin unloading her personal life to a complete stranger. Jezebel made a show of waiting anxiously for Bo to continue.

"Oh... Oh, I get it," Jezebel said slowly, her tone understanding. "You don't want to share your personal stuff with me. It's okay. I'm a complete stranger and we're both in an even stranger place. I just... I thought we could work together. Like... a team. You know, to try to get out of here. You're the unaligned Succubus, right?"

Bo suddenly felt guilty and she sighed, "Yeah, that's me. The unaligned Succubus... Look, I'm sorry about that. I'm just really frustrated with my girlfriend. She's the one who got me into this mess in the first place."

"Your girlfriend?" Jezebel asked. "You mean Tamsin."

"Tamsin... Yeah! You know her?"

"Well, no. Not personally... But I met this little girl and she said her mother's name was Bo and her other mother's name was Tamsin. That's not a really popular name, so I'm assuming it's the same person."

"You met a little girl? Did you catch her name? Was it Aoife?"

"I don't know, she didn't tell me," Jezebel told her. She feigned regret. "Ugh, I should've asked for her name! I'm so stupid sometimes! I'm sorry..."

"It's not even the name that's the most important. Why didn't you think to take her with you?" Bo snapped. She crossed her arms.

"She told me she was visiting her grandfather! She said he _invited_ her here!" Jezebel protested. "Wait, so that means you're _related_ to the Wanderer!"

Bo remained silent, trying to process everything this Fae had just told her. Jezebel's mind raced, trying to turn the tables and get the attention off her. This was her go-to method and it always worked. Any conflict, argument or war, she'd never lost using her "turn the tables" tactic.

"How the hell do I know that you're not in league with him!?" Jezebel yelled at Bo, forcing panic into her green eyes. "How the hell do I know that you're not some ploy he has who's going to eventually lead me to certain death!? How—"

"Because I'm not! Okay? Calm down!" Bo interrupted her. "Look, we can figure this out—"

"We?" Jezebel asked. "You're going to let me tag along?"

"Sure. Why the hell not?" Bo replied. "We're both lost and scared."

"Oh good... You know what they always say. Two is better than one," Jezebel remarked.

_This fake pep and cowardly actions are going to be the end of me, _Jezebel thought. _I feel like one of those helpless blonde chicks in the horror movies. The ones that get killed off._

"Okay, so which way did you come from?" Bo asked. "Maybe we can find that little girl again."

"Uh... I don't remember," Jezebel answered, making her voice waver. "I am directionally inept, I can't help it. I get lost in my own driveway!"

_'Lost in my own driveway?'_ Jezebel thought. _You don't even have a freaking driveway! You've been stuck here your entire life!_

"Okay, well... Judging from your standing position, you came from that way," Bo thought aloud, beginning to walk in the direction Jezebel had come from.

"Oh good, you seem to be good with directions," Jezebel exclaimed in a fickle enthusiasm as she took the opportunity to roll her eyes once Bo's back was to her.

Bo waited for Jezebel to catch up and they walked together, side by side.

"So tell me about yourself, Jezebel," Bo requested.

"There's not much to tell," Jezebel forced a friendly laugh. "I grew up... in a valley. I had many, many sisters. But no brothers. And I was a tomboy. Still kind of am."

"I grew up in a small town... As an only child. I didn't know I was Fae."

"You didn't?" Jezebel exclaimed incredulously.

"Nope. I grew up with two human parents... I was left on their doorstep with the name 'Bo' attached. They renamed me Beth. And I killed my first love when I was in high school, fled, found the Fae, and have been with them ever since."

"Killed your first love... Not the best way to find out about the Fae," Jezebel remarked. "I always knew I was Fae. I wasn't raised by my biological parents either. Someone else took me in... I guess I could call him my foster father. I had a foster mother too. That's why I had so many sisters. They were all foster children like me. We were raised kind of like warriors."

"Warriors?"

"Well, we always had to fight for seconds at the dinner table!" Jezebel forced another laugh.

"Are you still in touch with your foster parents?"

"I am still in touch with my foster father. We're very close. But not my foster mother. I think she died. I'm not sure. Last I heard, she lost her hand..." Jezebel trailed off and watched Bo's expression, watching to see if this sparked anything in Bo's mind.

_If she doesn't know Acacia, then I can make this sound more personal. If she does, I have to shut up right now,_ Jezebel told herself.

"Oh... Oh..." Bo murmured, unsure of what to say. "I-I'm sorry."

"Nah, it's... fine. Really."

Bo knew it wasn't her place to ask why Jezebel's foster mother lost her hand, but she couldn't help wondering. They walked in a dead silence for a few moments.

"Acacia—my foster mother—she lost her hand because of one of my sisters, actually," Jezebel suddenly mentioned.

"Oh... That's horrible," Bo sighed.

"Yeah. My sister just does whatever she pleases and it eventually got our Acacia de-handed."

"If it's worth anything, I got my mother imprisoned..."

"Imprisoned? How?"

"A human, Dr. Taft—"

"Say no more. I've heard about him. I hear he's like, Voldemort-bad."

"You've obviously talked to some Kitsunes..." Bo remarked. "Are you a Valkyrie?"

"Yeah," Jezebel's voice caught in her throat.

That's enough information, Jezebel, she scolded herself.

"That's what my girlfriend is—a Valkyrie. I also was curious because you bear a striking resemblance to her."

"So I've been told! The little girl said the same thing," Jezebel commented. "Here. This door."

"There's no door—" Bo began. Jezebel twisted a doorknob invisible to Bo and opened the door for Bo.

"After you," Jezebel urged. "You've been ever so kind to me. You deserve to get out first."

"I thought we were going to find the little girl?" Bo asked. Jezebel roughly shoved her inside and bolted the door shut from the outside. She walked a few yards away from the door and waited for _him_.

"You found the Succubus!" he boomed in surprise. "You're not a complete dud."

"Thank you, Sir," she replied halfheartedly.

"The results have come back positive for Valkyrie. Something is not adding up here..." he announced. "I will come to you."

A black cloud appeared before Jezebel and out stepped a tall man with short brown hair.

"Jezebel," he stated curtly. "A pleasure."

"The pleasure is mine," Jezebel responded robotically. She didn't look him in the eyes.

"Perhaps the girl is not lying. Perhaps Tamsin is her mother," he thought aloud. "But how?"

"Perhaps a surrogate, Sir?"

"No!" he snapped. His tone quickly changed back to its neutrality. "No... I would have figured that out by now. No. The child also tests positive for Succubus... And a match to Bo's genes."

"Valkyries... They're women. Aren't they, Sir? How can this be?"

"I do not know the answer to these questions... Question Ysabeau. Grill her if you must. But do not blow your cover. I want to find out about this... Aoife," and with that, he disappeared the way he'd come; by a black cloud.

"Yes, Sir," Jezebel whispered to thin air. She jumped, causing herself to crash through the door, landing on her knees in front of Bo.

"What the hell was that stunt you pulled back there, Jezebel?" Bo asked angrily. "Come up behind me and push me in here in case it was dangerous?"

"What, me? No! No..." Jezebel cried, allowing tears to form. "I-I got snatched. It was him! He pushed you. I was right beside you! I couldn't have pushed you from behind. I was holding the door for you, remember? I get thrown in here and the first thing you do is yell at me?"

Jezebel looked up at Bo with pleading eyes and fear written across her face. Bo suppressed the urge to slap her across the face and tore her own gaze away from the fallen Valkyrie.

"You've got to believe me..." Jezebel choked out. "Please..."

_I deserve a frigging Oscar for this goddamn performance_, Jezebel thought. _Imagine... One of the best Valkyries on her knees grovelling at a Succubus' feet. How pathetic I've gotten. How desperate._

"No, you're right..." Bo murmured, hiding her skepticism. "You were on my side. You weren't behind me. I'm sorry I doubted you."

Jezebel squinted at Bo's back, wondering if she'd actually bought this pitiful act. As Bo turned around, Jezebel got back into character.

"Well, he allowed for a nice escape route... The door's down. We can get out," Bo noted. "Let's go."

"Back out there? Where he just was? Can't we wait this out?" Jezebel suggested. "We've been here for over twenty-four hours! You can't win a fight if you're exhausted..."

"Twenty-four hours? But—"

"I noticed that time passes differently here..." Jezebel explained. She rolled onto her back and closed her eyes.

"But Jezebel—"

"Hush, Succubus..." Jezebel murmured. "I can't be of any use to you if I don't get shut-eye."

Bo saw her point and sighed in defeat. She laid down about two yards away from Jezebel and closed her eyes. Jezebel laid there for a few hours to be sure that the Succubus had fallen asleep before quietly getting up to go find Aoife. Bo rolled over and opened her eyes, watching Jezebel leave, but not daring to follow her and let her know that she was awake.


	7. Chapter 7

Tamsin jolted awake, her eyes fluttering open. Her eyes took a moment to refocus and she found herself staring at the familiar ceiling of Bo's place. She eased herself into a sitting position and the aroma of cheese and sauce wafted through the air. She looked over at Bo's counter where the smell came from and saw Var standing there, opening a pizza box. Her first instinct was to run over there, slam the box shut and start yelling at him, but she didn't know why she felt like that. He hadn't done anything.

"I ordered a pizza because I think you need to eat," Var explained as he placed a piece on a plate. "I snagged a few bucks from your wallet to pay for it, though. Hope you don't mind..."

"You _what!?_"

"Relax, gorgeous. I was kidding! It's on me," he chuckled. He picked up the plate and walked over to Tamsin on the couch. He sat on the armrest and gestured to the plate. "Here."

Tamsin slowly took the plate from him and took a small bite of the pizza.

"Look, um... I know it's probably none of my business, but... When I put you in my car, something fell out of your pocket," he told her as he took out a syringe. "Is there something I should be worried about?"

"No... I, um... Allergies. It's an allergies shot. I promise. That's why I'm so mopey," Tamsin explained. "Once I inject myself with it, I should be fine."

For a while, she added mentally.

"Alright... If you say so," he replied, giving her the syringe. "Anyways, I better be off. You're probably sick of me by now, so..."

He slid off the armrest and walked over to the door and opened it to let himself out.

"Wait," Tamsin cringed at herself for what she was about to say. "Stay here... I'm kind of alone and I'm worried about my girlfriend. I don't know if she's going to be okay."

"May I ask what's wrong with her?" he asked, still standing with the door wide open. "Is she sick?"

"No..." Tamsin cringed at herself again for opening up to someone. "She's... She's missing. And I'm not sure if I'm ever going to get her back."

"Is this like a hostage situation?" he asked.

"Kind of... Our daughter was abducted and she went after her because that's just how she is."

"Kudos to her," he remarked. "I wish I'd have been that brave when I was a kid..."

Tamsin looked at him questioningly.

"I was out with my brother, messing around in the woods. And this... this THING just grabs him and runs into a nearby cave. I heard screaming, a throaty gurgling sound, and then the screaming stopped. And do you know what I did the entire few hours that went on? I hid. I hid nearby and did nothing. My parents didn't speak to me for months."

"I-I'm... so... sorry..." Tamsin whispered.

_Geez, this end of the life cycle has me going soft. I better get this shit into me quick!_ she thought, trying to clear her display of emotion.

"Excuse me for just one moment," she said quickly as she walked to the bathroom, taking the syringe with her, and closed the door.

Var closed the door he'd been holding open for so long and walked slowly over to the couch, listening to the even rhythm his feet made against the floor. He sat down on the couch and gently rested his feet on the coffee table.

Tamsin stared at the syringe, wondering if she should take it now.

_Take it now,_ she urged herself. _You have a strange man in your living room and you don't know his agenda._

Tamsin picked up the syringe.

_No! Save it! He's a harmless human. He drove you home for God's sake and ordered you pizza AND paid. If he was going to do something, he'd have done it by now!_

Tamsin put the syringe back down.

_Tamsin, don't be stupid!_ her mind yelled.

Tamsin picked the syringe up once again.

_Tamsin, you could need it later at a more appropriate time!_

Tamsin frustratedly slammed the syringe down, producing a high-pitched crashing noise of plastic against marble.

"Everything okay?" he yelled from the living room.

"Everything's just fine!" she yelled back. She picked up the needle and uncapped it. She rolled up her sleeve and quickly jammed the needle into her arm and pressed her lips together to keep from yelping. The moment the tip of the needle pierced her skin, she began to feel better. She pushed the fluid into her arm and focused on the sensation of the cold liquid funning through her warm vein and quickly spreading all over. She felt her heart speed up to pace and felt rejuvenated. If there was one upside she could look forward to at the end of each of her lifetimes, it was this very moment. The sensation of being revitalised, the rush of energy. The amount of liquid was at its end, so she carefully pulled the needle out of her arm and discarded it into the trash. She shuddered and whispered to herself, "_Oh_... That is some _good_ _shit_..."

She walked out of the bathroom with some pep in her strides and tapped Var's knee with her hand as she walked by.

"Let's go!"

"Where?" he asked.

"I'm going to go save my Succu—" Tamsin cut herself off.

"Succubus?" Var asked. "Is that what you were about to say?"

Tamsin didn't bother coming up with an explanation. If he was human, the answer might create itself and if he was Fae, she hadn't revealed anything new to him except the species of her girlfriend.

"I'm sorry... I just find it amusing that you'd call her a Succubus," Var explained. "I didn't know you were into mythology. I love mythology."

The answer had created itself, just as Tamsin had hoped.

"Yeah... Yeah. It's cool stuff," Tamsin responded quickly. "Now grab your jacket and let's get going!"

"Alright, wait in the car..." he replied, tossing her the keys. "I have to go to the bathroom first."

Tamsin caught the keys with ease, smiled to herself about catching them, and went out to the car to wait. Var stayed in the living room, pulled out his cell phone, and began composing a message.

_She's ready. What now?_

_Meet me with her. And be quick about this. She's not stupid, so as soon as she sees me, she's not going to like it._

Var went out to his car to join Tamsin and got into the driver's seat.

"Where to?" he asked with a joking smile.

"Hm..." Tamsin contemplated whether she should have this human take her to the Dal. She hadn't technically claimed him. She decided she had to go if she wanted any information from Bo's friends. "To a little bar called the Dal Riata... It's in a crappy-ish part of town, but it's a good bar. I gotta meet some... _friends_ of mine."


	8. Chapter 8

"Hello?" Dyson yelled through Bo's door. He slammed his fist against the door, frustrated because he couldn't find Tamsin anywhere. She wasn't where he'd left her and she obviously wasn't here. He tried to track her scent, but something else was mixed with it and masked her scent. "_Fine_... If Tamsin doesn't want to be found, then she won't be found. I tried... I'm taking things into my own hands."

Dyson turned around to find Kenzi, who had somehow snuck up behind him.

"Kenzi? What're you doing here?" he asked her suspiciously.

"I _live_ here..." Kenzi retorted. "What're _you_ doing here?"

"Looking for Tamsin... Like you suggested. And she's not here. I can't find her anywhere. And it seems she's masked her scent as well. So she obviously doesn't want to be found."

Kenzi unlocked the door and motioned for Dyson to go in.

"Go in, Wolfman. See what you can sniff out."

Dyson shot her a look as soon as she finished saying that.

"My bad," she apologised. Dyson went into the house, trying to make his sniffing subtle.

"The weird scent masker is in here too. So she must've been in here..." he murmured. He went closer to the bathroom. "There."

"What?" Kenzi inquired.

"Her scent is isolated in the bathroom. Whatever she had with her didn't follow her into the bathroom," Dyson responded, sticking his face near the trash can. "She threw something away."

Dyson stepped on the pedal and the lid opened, revealing a nearly empty trash bag that contained only an empty syringe.

"Dude, that heroine is on heroin!" Kenzi exclaimed. Dyson sniffed the needle as he walked into the living room and sat down on the couch.

"It's not heroin, Kenzi... It's some kind of Fae solution..." Dyson sniffed it again, but couldn't tell exactly what it was or what was in it. "And she was definitely the one to take it."

"You look worried," Kenzi noted. She made a mental note to check the couch cushions after Dyson got up.

"Well, I've never seen or smelled this before. And someone gave it to her..." Dyson slipped the syringe into an evidence bag.

"What, do you just carry those around everywhere you go?" Kenzi asked.

"Yeah," Dyson answered seriously. "C'mon, we're going to the Dal. We need to talk to Trick."

"About a syringe? What about Lauren?" Kenzi hinted. "She _is_ a doctor... She deals with needles, right?"

"Fine. We need to talk to _Lauren_," Dyson sighed. "But maybe Trick can help."

Dyson went to leave but noticed Kenzi feeling under the couch cushions. She slipped her hands between the couch and the cushions, feeling for something. She felt something long and plastic which seemed to be full of some sort of liquid. It felt like a test tube.

"You coming?" he asked, with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah..." Kenzi sighed. "Sorry about the searching... Force of habit. Lead the way, Dyson."

Dyson started down the hallway, but as Kenzi closed the door, she looked down at what she held in her hand. It was not a test tube at all. It was a fully sealed syringe identical to the one Dyson had bagged. But she hadn't found in the cushions Dyson had been sitting on.

"Did you find something?" Dyson asked as he continued walking.

"What? No," Kenzi answered quickly as she pocketed the sealed syringe. "Just making sure I locked the door... Force of habit."

Dyson and Kenzi walked into the Dal where Trick was stomping around and slamming various drawers and cabinets as he put silverware, dishes, and glasses away. Kenzi looked over at Dyson nervously, not used to seeing Trick so angry. Dyson ignored Kenzi out of the corner of his eye and cleared his throat.

"Yes. I can see you standing there, Dyson," Trick stated through clenched teeth. "I'm old, but I'm not blind. I'm not here waiting for you. I'm here waiting for the _brains_ behind this operation, also known as _Doctor_ Lauren."

Dyson looked down at the ground, calming himself down before he sauntered over to the bar and leaned over the counter.

"Well, how about while you wait for Lauren, you take a look at what _I_ found?" Dyson smirked smugly as he pulled the bagged syringe out of his jacket's pocket. "It was at Bo's in the bathroom trash can with Tamsin's scent all over it. And she has something or someone with her that masks her scent somehow."

Trick was annoyed at Dyson's good find as he came around the counter to get a better look. He took the bag containing the syringe and peered at it.

"This looks like it belongs to a Druid," he commented as he studied it.

"A Druid?" Kenzi asked. "What is that?"

"He makes various mixes for Fae. He's kind of like a Fae street doctor... I'm not sure exactly what he can do," Dyson answered.

"I'm here," Lauren announced as she came rushing in. She set her things down. "The Wanderer is similar to a god. And as we knew from before, he can travel wherever he pleases. And take whoever he pleases with him. He oversees many Fae, but mostly Valkyries. He has minions and Valkyries, but he uses Valkyries primarily to deliver his marks. And if they don't follow his orders, well... Let's must say it doesn't end well for them. Oh, and _he_ chooses who lives and who dies. He has that power. Which would explain the rants during Bo's little... _episodes_."

"Dyson found a syringe Tamsin once had in her possession, belonging to a Druid," Trick remarked. Lauren's face fell. "But I mean, good job with what you found. That's a heck of a lot more than we knew previously."

Kenzi rolled her eyes.

"Lauren, I'm sorry," Trick apologised. "I just was wondering if you could possibly tell us what the syringe held and what the contents could've been used for."

"I'll... I'll get right on that," Lauren nodded. She gently took the syringe from Trick and left the Dal. Without another word, Kenzi left in hot pursuit of Lauren.

Trick looked guiltily at Dyson for a split second, then after Lauren and Kenzi left he announced, "I have to go gather some things... If we're dealing with what I think we're dealing with."

"I'm coming with you," Dyson declared.

"Fine," Trick huffed. And the two of them left, Dyson trailing behind Trick.


	9. Chapter 9

"Who the hell were you texting!? I'm all for rebellious things, but you almost killed us!" Tamsin yelled at Var. "I have a kid to think about!"

"It's just my friend! I know, it was stupid... I'm sorry!" Var apologised. He sounded sincere. "That was selfish of me and I really wasn't thinking straight."

"It's fine, whatever," Tamsin huffed as she walked into the Dal. "We all have our downfalls."

"Downfalls? What, did you think I was perfect?" Var chuckled. Var looked at Tamsin and realised she really hadn't been joking. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"So where're these friends you were talking about?" he asked.

"I don't know."

Tamsin looked around and saw there was no sign that anyone had been there recently.

"Well, we can wait around," Var suggested. Their heads turned as they heard a door slam shut and an attractive blonde woman with green eyes walked gracefully over to them. Tamsin looked at Var and then again at the woman in sheer disbelief.

"Evening, Var," the woman nodded at him. She looked to Tamsin. "_Tamsin_."

"Wait a second, you _know_ her!?" Tamsin raged. "You know _Jezebel!?_"

"Calm your tits, Tamsin," Jezebel commanded. Her voice was cool and cut the air like a blade.

Var hung his head as Tamsin took this all in and he tapped his foot softly.

"So, Jezebel..." Tamsin droned. "It's been a while."

"Cut the shit," Jezebel snapped. Her eyes had a sharp glint to them. "I'm here for one sole reason."

"What's that? To make my life hell?" Tamsin spat.

"No. I know where your daughter is," Jezebel taunted. "And I can take you to her."

"What's the cost?"

"Why must you always assume there's a price to pay?" Jezebel feigned innocence. "What if the end of my lifetime is just making me overly emotional and sappy?"

"Because I know you," Tamsin hissed.

"Well, I'm not here on _his_ orders. I'm here on my own," Jezebel's features grew harsh again.

"Wonderful. And for your next trick, I assume you'll start shitting rainbows?" Tamsin sneered. "Yeah, right."

"No, I'm being completely honest."

"Bullshit."

"I give you my blood oath."

"Bullshit!"

"Tamsin, you're not thinking clearly. I'm the only one he allows to travel between his world and this one, besides you. If you reject me one more time, you're rejecting your one and _only_ chance to find Aoife... And Bo."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tamsin growled.

"I know where Bo is too."

"Why the hell are you even helping me? Don't you hate me?"

"Yeah. As a matter of fact, I do hate you. But I'm at my wit's end. The end of my lifetime. And this... this'll be my last hurrah before I burn out. What do you say?" Jezebel waited. "This is your final chance to accept my offer."

"I don't trust you," Tamsin muttered, keeping her icy tone. "But this is my girlfriend and daughter we're talking about."

"Yes, I realise that," Jezebel replied, keeping an even voice. "I try not to shit about these things."

"Under one condition," Tamsin said suddenly.

"Name it," Jezebel stated, crossing her arms.

"I take Var with us. As a hostage."

"Done," Jezebel smiled cruelly.

"What? Why?" Var asked.

"Because. If you're working with her and I'm near you, she won't risk killing you."

"What's that mean?" Var asked.

"It means she won't lead me into a trap. Besides... I could use a hostage of my own," Tamsin smirked. "Lead the way... _Jez_."

"Right this way, _Tams_."


	10. Chapter 10

"Hello," Aoife greeted the man standing before her.

"Hello, Aoife," he replied, his face stoic.

"You have a really deep voice," she giggled.

"Thank you," he allowed a strained smile to spread on his face.

"So who are you?" Aoife asked curiously.

"Aoife, I am your grandfather."

"Really? It's so great to meet you!" Aoife exclaimed, running over and hugging him. He stood straight, never returning the hug and never looking down at the little girl who had her arms wrapped around him. Instead, he pulled himself out of her grasp.

"Aoife, I invited you here because I have a proposal for you to ponder."

"Okay, Grandpappy. What is it?"

"First, don't call me that. Second, I want to know if you are interested in participating in a... group, shall we say."

"A group? What kind of group? Is this like a royal group?" Aoife asked excitedly. She saw her grandfather's blank expression and clarified. "Bel told me that you're a king."

"Ah, well then yes. Yes, a royal team."

Aoife's nose wrinkled as she asked, "Will there be boys? Boys have cooties."

"No, there will not be boys present. Especially if that is what you request. I can appoint you to an all-girls team, if that _is_ your request."

"Thanks, Grandpa!"

He cringed at the name, but he figured it was better than the first one she'd used.

"Just one more thing that I must ask of you, Aoife. One tiny favour."

"Yeah?" she asked.

"You cannot tell Ysabeau about this—"

"Ysabeau?"

"Yes. That is Bo's real name. Bo is just a silly nickname given to her."

"Okay, I won't tell _Ysabeau_..." Aoife giggled at the name.

"And you cannot tell Tamsin about this either."

"Yessir!" she laughed.

"That's my girl..." he smiled. He then took this opportunity to disappear.


	11. Chapter 11

"I am not strong enough to open the portal myself," Jezebel sighed. "An unfortunate side effect of my end times. Var will have to do it."

"You mean the hostage..." Tamsin corrected her.

"Yeah, whatever name for him pleases you," Jezebel muttered.

"I'll try..." Var promised. He focused hard and pulled on an invisible force, unlocking the portal. "Let's jump in."

The three of them ducked into the portal which closed up behind them.

"Well, this place changed since I'd last been here..." Tamsin murmured, taking in her surroundings. She studied the stone walls and deep red velvet carpeting.

"That's because it's been a while," Jezebel snapped. "I picked out the color of the carpeting."

"Blood-red," Tamsin commented. "I should've known. It's your favorite color."

"It used to be yours too..." Jezebel stated softly. Tamsin ignored this and scuffed her foot on the carpet.

"Where's Var?" Tamsin asked suspiciously, finally noticing his absence.

"He's the one who opened the portal," Jezebel reminded her. "It always takes the opener longer to get through. You remember that, don't you?"

Jezebel looked Tamsin straight in the eye, trying to read her expression.

"N-No... I-I don't remember that..." Tamsin whispered, trying to remember. "At all."

Tamsin knew her memory had been lacking lately, but she didn't know how badly. She then realized that she couldn't even recall Bo's birthday or even the day they'd met.

"Do you want to see your daughter now?" Jezebel asked softly.

"Yes," Tamsin nodded slowly. Jezebel led her to double doors which were closed tightly, but just as she was about to open them, Tamsin grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back.

"Jezebel, you're a Valkyrie," Tamsin stated slowly.

"Okay..." Jezebel looked at her strangely.

"And I'm a Valkyrie."

"And you felt the need to tell me this because..?" Jezebel asked condescendingly.

"Because we... We're like sisters."

"Ugh, _please_ don't remind me—"

"Hey! As much as I don't like it either, it's true. And we have to come to terms," Tamsin snapped. "We're Valkyries and we're like sisters. Valkyries stick together through thick and thin, even if we hate each other's guts. And we don't kill our own kind."

"Are you accusing me of trying to murder your ass?" Jezebel asked. She remembered she was in the Wanderer's realm now, so she lowered her voice and tried to omit swearing from her vocabulary. Outside of his realm, she was just like Tamsin. Impulsive and brash, but inside, she was disciplined, levelheaded, and whoever he needed her to be. "If that is the case, I can assure that I am not leading you, one of my own, to your death."

"Jezebel, I'm _trusting_ you..." Tamsin warned.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..."

Jezebel yanked her arm out of Tamsin's grasp and pulled the doors open, revealing Aoife who was far away.

"You may enter now," Jezebel invited in a strange tone. Tamsin gave her a weird look and stepped past her. As Tamsin got about three yards away from her daughter, she ran into an invisible wall.

"What is this shit?" she asked angrily, turning to face Jezebel.

"Oh, I am sorry... Were you under the impression I was inviting you in here? Please. I would not waste my breath on you for that. I simply needed to get you in here and, well, look... I have successfully gotten you in here. I was inviting the Wanderer. Aoife cannot see or hear you as you can see her. No, I needed bait. And she unknowingly obliged," Jezebel smiled cruelly. "Wait here. He shall make an appearance when he is ready. And when he does, he will pass his judgement. But I should warn you, since we are sisterly now, that he is furious that you went AWOL—you do remember what that means..." Jezebel sneered.

_The hell does 'AWOL' mean? _Tamsin wondered to herself. _Dammit, why can't I remember?_

"Yes, I'm not an idiot—" Tamsin retorted.

"That depends on who you are asking. Besides, it has been a while, so I was not sure if you remembered our lingo," Jezebel told her smugly.

"You lied to me!" Tamsin raged. "You told me you'd let me see her!"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, you're right. I did say you could _see_ her. _See? _You can see her. I never said she could see you," Jezebel responded coolly as she exited and closed the doors behind herself.

As Jezebel stepped out, the Wanderer appeared before her.

"What, may I ask, are you doing?" he asked sharply.

"Sir, I have a surprise for you."

"I hate surprises."

"Yes, well... I am highly confident that you will like this surprise."

"And I highly doubt that."

"I am off to see Bo now, back on track. You have nothing to worry about."

"Jezebel, what is in there?"

"See for yourself," Jezebel smiled as she went off to get back to Bo. The Wanderer transported himself behind Tamsin who stood fuming.

As he gently set his cane down she snarled, "Come back to torture me, you conniving, deceitful bitch?"

Tamsin whirled around with a fist raised and ready to strike, but saw that it was the Wanderer instead of Jezebel and grew very afraid.

"I-I'm sorry..." she gulped as she lowered her arm. "Sir."

"That is quite alright... You are still the fierce warrior I remember," he chuckled.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing... Nothing. I am surprised that Jezebel was able to track you down and capture you to bring you here. Looks like someone might be on her way to being my favorite... instead of you."

Tamsin snorted.

"You _were_ my favorite, Tamsin. That is, before you became rebellious."

"She didn't capture me. She tricked me."

"Well, to each her own battle strategy. I have a proposition for you."

"No thanks, I'm not interested."

"Even if it means you can keep this body and I will restore you?" he raised a brow.

"What's the proposition?" Tamsin asked.

"Good. I thought you might be interested. Bring me..." the Wanderer thought. "The Blood King."

"Why? He's Light Fae."

"Do this, and I will restore you and allow you to keep your renewed body. The Blood King does not mean anything to you. If anything, he does not trust you. Bring him to me."

"But he means something to Bo..."

"I recall saying that if you value my marks, then you value your life. This is an opportunity for me to not have to kill you for wandering away from me. Believe me, I have no wish to kill you. But I cannot bend the rules for you, even if you are my favorite. You can earn your life with Aoife and Bo back by simply giving me Fitzpatrick. This is your chance to redeem yourself. I will let you think this over in peace. You have two hours to make a decision. I just hope you choose wisely."

Tamsin crossed her arms and turned her back to him. As she looked up, she saw Jezebel talking to Aoife, smiling like a trained Barbie doll. Tamsin rolled her eyes, but then grew paranoid as she saw Aoife willingly take her hand and leave with her.

"Where is Jezebel taking Aoife!?" Tamsin screamed. She turned to face the Wanderer, but he had vanished.


	12. Chapter 12

"What's up, Doc?" Kenzi asked as she followed Lauren into her lab. "Oh my God, I totally just sounded like Bugs Bunny! You know, minus the obnoxious carrot crunching that normally follows..."

She jumped up and sat down on a counter, swinging her legs as she watched Lauren bustling about and mumbling to herself.

"Amnesiogenesis..." Lauren whispered to herself as she looked into a microscope. "It's genius."

"Amnesio– what?" Kenzi asked.

"Amnesiogenesis..." Lauren replied absentmindedly. "It's... It's a process in which a certain solution causes memory loss... The contents of the syringe Dyson found... That's what Tamsin injected herself with..."

"Is that a thing?" Kenzi asked incredulously.

"No. I mean, yes. I mean, I guess it is now... I never thought..." Lauren trailed off.

"Never thought what?" Kenzi asked, impatient for Lauren to finish her thought.

"It was..." Lauren continued.

"Never thought it was what?" Kenzi prodded.

"Possible," Lauren finished. She stepped away from her microscope. "It was a rumor traveling among Fae scientists... I just never believed in it. But... But what gets me is why Tamsin injected herself with that... Unless she was plotting something against Bo and didn't want the good memories of her to cloud her judgement..."

"Well, as much as I'd love to bust Tamsin for being a baddie, I don't think that's a correct theory, Doc," Kenzi sighed as she hopped down from the counter.

"Well, why's that?" Lauren asked.

"Because Dyson's not the only good searcher... I found this syringe and it's still full," Kenzi replied, handing her found syringe to Lauren. "Can you tell me what this is?"

"It'll take a few minutes..." Lauren told her. "But sure. I can do that."

"'Kay, great!" Kenzi thanked her. She roamed around, looking at the various equipment and materials around the lab. She picked up a scalpel and pretended to throw it like a throwing knife and asked, "What's this?"

"Kenzi, put that down. It's very sharp... I just had the blade replaced and I'd really appreciate it if you would just—" Lauren stopped short as she watched the scalpel accidentally fly loose from Kenzi's hand and stick into the wall just inches from her throat. She gasped, "Kenzi!"

"Is that what people mean when they say the science field can get cutthroat?" Kenzi quipped as she giggled nervously. "I never knew."

Lauren stared completely dumbfounded at the landed scalpel.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'll get someone to fix your wall—"

"How did that even work?" Lauren wondered. "The scalpel is too light to have the correct mass to be thrown like that... That's why throwing knives are on the heavy side..."

"Um... Lucky shot?" Kenzi weakly suggested. She struggled to pull it from the wall.

"It's... fine... about the wall..." Lauren quickly told her. "Don't even worry about it."

"But—"

"Don't!" Lauren stated firmly. "Okay?"

Kenzi nodded and saluted as Lauren went over and yanked the scalpel out of the wall with ease. Kenzi's eyebrows raised in surprise at the doctor's strength.

"Well whatever is in the syringe you gave me is kind of like an energy booster. Maybe Tamsin needed it?" Lauren reported as she looked at the results.

"For what?"

"Valkyries grow weak at the end of their lives. Maybe she needed a boost."

"Probably to kill Bo!" Kenzi exclaimed.

"No... I don't think she'd do that..." Lauren told her. "We should tell Trick though."

"I just tried calling Trick... He's not at the Dal," Kenzi told her. "I mean, I tried Dyson first so I could rub it in his face that I had a better find, but I couldn't get ahold of him either. They're probably out somewhere."

"Fantastic," Lauren sighed.

"What a time for Trick and Dyson to go all Fae-WOL on us! It's like, they KNOW we'd need them just like they need us!" Kenzi agreed.

"Tamsin, I realize that I am early. But I was wondering if you had made up your mind yet."

"Who are you?" Tamsin asked, blinking rapidly. "I feel like I know you."

"You do know him," Jezebel prompted. "He's our boss, remember?"

"Our boss? Our boss... Right..." Tamsin thought hard. "I-I think I have a gap somewhere in my memory... Like, I remember your offer, but I don't remember the past few years too well..."

"Probably because you've been doing this for so long," Jezebel told her. "It's all a blur for me too. You and I have been working various jobs for him, that's all."

"Do you remember my assignment for you to obtain the Succubus?" he asked.

"Yeah... Vaguely, but yes."

"Well, she's here now. Thanks to you. Now I want you to go after her grandfather. He is the Blood King," he informed her. "But you already knew that because that was part of my offer... You remember that? My offer as a way out of killing you."

"Yeah... Well then, I accept your offer, Sir," Tamsin smiled. "This'll be fun."

"And that is why you are my favorite Valkyrie," he told her as he exited. Jezebel felt a flare of anger and jealousy. She exited quickly after him.

"Sir! Um, did you like my surprise?" she asked, desperately. She tried to keep up with him.

"What exactly was it?" he asked ignorantly.

"I-I retrieved Tamsin! I brought her back to you! And... And I got her to work for you again. I got a friend of mine to get her to take a shot of a solution that is causing her memory loss! She's only here and cooperative because of me!" Jezebel told him shrilly.

"Yes, that was a wonderful surprise," he responded, not bothering to stop walking or look her in the eyes. "But now that my favorite is back, I need to set all of my best missions, hopes, and plans in motion."

"But—"

"Shut up, would you?" he snapped. "You're bothering me."

Before Jezebel could protest anymore, he disappeared leaving her upset and envious.

_Your favorite, huh? _she thought bitterly. _I should've known. There's no competing with Tamsin. Well, let's see how you like your favorite dead! But she's right. Valkyries don't kill their own kind._

Dyson and Trick made their way through a forest of Fae property where they knew they'd find ingredients they needed.

"Dammit, we don't have any reception here!" Dyson growled.

"Too bad. Back in my day, we didn't have cell phones," Trick told him and chuckled. "We didn't even have electricity!"

Dyson suppressed a laugh. He saw a flash of white dart by out of the corner of his eye.

"Trick, be quiet for a second..." he whispered as he sniffed the air. "We're not alone."

He heard a twig snap behind him and he turned around quickly, grabbing the source of the sound by the throat and slamming it roughly up against the trunk of a tree. He saw that it was a woman and went to let go, but before he could pull his hand fully away, she grabbed his wrist with her hands and snapped it. He let out a howl as he heard a sickening crack and felt his bones go in different directions. He ripped his arm away, hunched over, and held it with his other hand while bearing his teeth. He looked at his misshapen wrist and suddenly, he felt an elbow come down on his back. The elbow dug into his back, taking his breath away and knocking him to his knees. A swift kick to his side forced him onto his back and he writhed in pain on the ground. The woman put a foot on his chest and looked down at him with a knife drawn and angled at him.

"People never seem to learn... _Don't_ mess with a Valkyrie."

"Tamsin?" he squinted up at her. He put an arm above his face as a weak attempt to block it, should another blow come.

"No. Name's Jezebel," she told him as she yanked him up off the ground by his good wrist. She snapped his bad wrist back into place.

"OW! Geez! What was that for?" Dyson yelled, clutching his wrist. He then noticed Trick who stood frozen and horrified at the woman.

"Getting slammed up against a tree trunk while being choked kind of irks me," she answered simply. "Anyway, I've come to warn you of danger."

"You? Warn me of danger? When you just beat me up?" Dyson asked flatly. "You're funny. Besides you're a Valkyrie. They don't warn people of danger. It's not their job, from what I've heard."

"Well, I'm at the end of my life cycle. I'm kind of a free bird and as of right now, I have a juicy tidbit that is crucial. Besides, I technically didn't come to warn you. No, I came to warn _him_," Jezebel gestured to Trick. "He's the Blood King, isn't he?"

"Who wants to know? If I tell you, I'd have to kill you," Dyson smirked.

"You couldn't kill me... You couldn't even get your bearings a few seconds ago," Jezebel stated contemptuously. "He's the Blood King. He has to be. You wouldn't say that if he wasn't. Anyway, the Wanderer dude wants him."

"Ah, and so you think you're just going to take him from me and deliver him with ease... Sorry, I can't let that happen—"

"Oh, save your bullshit for later. If I was taking him, I'd be done with it already," Jezebel told him matter-of-factly. "He has been marked by the Wanderer, but I'm not the one that is to deliver him."

"Oh, and I suppose _you_ know who is?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. A little friend of yours... What's her name..." Jezebel pretended to think hard. "Tammy? No, that's not it... It's Tam- something... _Tamsin_."

"Why're you giving her up like this?"

"I already told you. I'm at my end. Might as well go out with a big bang, right?" Jezebel smiled mysteriously. "See ya, Wolfy."

Jezebel proceeded to walk away and disappear into the thick brush.

"What do you think, Trick? Do we trust her?"

"I'd say no, but I need to take a threat to my life seriously as well," Trick answered, finally becoming animated again. "Even if it is just a joke. And didn't you say Tamsin was missing?"

"Yeah..."

Trick gave Dyson a 'Now do you understand where I'm going with this?' look.

"Well, we don't need to collect things anymore. This isn't what I thought we were dealing with," Trick sighed as he dropped everything. "I need to get to my hiding place underneath the Dal... Tamsin doesn't know about that, does she?"

"No," Dyson assured him. "She's never been past the keg room."

"Okay then. That should be a fine place for me to lay low for a while," Trick told him. "Let's get going."


	13. Chapter 13

"So where'd you go last night?" Bo asked Jezebel, her arms crossed and tapping her foot impatiently.

"My conscience... It was eating me up inside," Jezebel gasped. "I couldn't take it... So I went and found your Aoife."

"You did?" Bo asked, not fully convinced.

"Yes."

"Then where is she?"

"You think I can just take her out of where the Wanderer placed her?" Jezebel asked Bo. Bo shook her head. "Exactly. So you'll just have to trust me to get you to her. I will get you reunited if it's the last thing I do. And, judging from where we are right now, it just might be."

"If you try anything, I just want you to know that I am very capable of—"

"I know what you're capable of," Jezebel cut her off. "You're a Succubus. I know."

Jezebel and Bo snuck around and walked to Aoife's door.

"Bo, I realise that this is going to be emotional for you. But you have to keep it down unless you want to attract unwanted attention, you understand me?" Jezebel warned her. "Keep it down."

Bo nodded, showing that she understood. Jezebel looked around before carefully and quietly opening the door.

"In there, Bo."

Bo walked in slowly and took in the sight of Aoife. This whole event seemed surreal to Bo. She knelt down and Aoife came running over to her and gave her a huge hug. Jezebel looked down at them and allowed a small smile upon her face, but suppressed her feelings as she'd been taught to always do. After a while, this became a natural instinct and she didn't have to even think about it.

"Thank you," Bo whispered with tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Jezebel muttered.

"I owe you," Bo told her.

"Great! Can I pull you aside and ask you a few questions?" Jezebel requested.

"Sure," Bo answered, wiping her eyes.

Jezebel closed the door and asked Bo, "How was Aoife... conceived?"

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, she looks like you, but in some ways, she also looks like she could be a Valkyrie or something..."

Bo stared at Jezebel suspiciously.

"I-I have a girlfriend and I just really wanted to know how you two got Aoife to resemble the both of you, if that's alright," Jezebel lied.

"Alright, well... I have this human friend. Her name's Lauren. She's the doctor for the Light Fae, you know, works with the Ash. She somehow figured out how to swap a sperm's DNA with Tamsin's—if you didn't know, Tamsin is a Valkyrie. Then the insemination went from there."

"So it was as if you mated with a male Valkyrie... Even though Valkyries can only be female," Jezebel guessed.

"Precisely."

"So she has DNA of both you, the Succubus, and Tamsin, the Valkyrie."

"Yeah. Neat shit, huh?"

"Yeah..." Jezebel was genuinely awestruck. "That Lauren must be a genius!"

"She is," Bo agreed. "She definitely is."

"Well... I suppose you can stay here," Jezebel remarked. "I heard the Wanderer leave. I'm going to go venture around and see what else I can find."

"Won't you get lost?" Bo asked. "I thought you weren't good with directions?"

"Honey, I spent an entire night roaming this realm looking for your daughter. I think I know it like the back of my hand by now," Jezebel offered a friendly smile.

"Okay, well just holler or whatever if you need help," Bo replied as she returned the smile. Jezebel left and met with the Wanderer only a few doors down.

"I have news on the creation of Aoife," she announced. She then told him exactly what Bo had told her.

"Yes, I know," he stated. "I have labs of my own. They broke down the sample of her DNA and found out exactly how she was created."

"Then why'd you have me—"

"Silence. That is all. You may leave or roam about. Just stay out of my way," he commanded. "I have big plans for Tamsin. And even bigger plans for Aoife."

"But what about me?"

"You're dying so you're useless. You know the drill. Just come find me when it's time."

"Yes, Sir."

Tamsin paced back and forth, trying to shake an uneasy feeling that'd settled itself in the pit of her stomach. Suddenly, a body came falling down and landed on her and locked her to the ground. She threw the body off herself, stood up, and brushed herself off.

"Var?"

"Yeah..." he rubbed his head. "I finally got through, I guess."

"Good for you."

"You are dismissed," the Wanderer boomed. Tamsin immediately started walking to the nearest exit. Var rand after her and caught her by the hand. She jerked his hand off hers and punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow! Personality change much?" he complained, rubbing his shoulder. "I thought we were friends!"

"Shut up," she commanded. "And stay out of my way."

She threw open the doors and walked into bright daylight.

"Where're you going?"

"I have an assignment. Didn't I tell you to leave?" she hissed.

"Well yeah... Who are you tracking?"

"Blood King. Now go away."

"But maybe I can help—"

"You can help by shutting up, sitting down, and staying here," she told him coolly.

"Jezebel saw him in a forest. He was collecting various herbs. It's the forest that's Fae property."

Tamsin didn't thank him, despite this being useful information. She kept walking briskly, trying to lose him in the process.

"Tell me about you two," Var requested suddenly. "You and Jez, I mean. What's up with you two?"

Tamsin sighed and replied, "You're really not going to leave me alone, are you?"

Var shook his head with a proud smile. Tamsin rolled her eyes, but slowed her pace slightly.

"Fine. We grew up together. The Wanderer himself raised us. Along with the help of a woman named Acacia. Jezebel... She is far more skilled than I. But for some reason, the Wanderer picked me as his favourite. I'm not sure why. But his choice drove her insane. She swore she'd take my status as his favourite. But she never could, no matter how hard she tried. She always chose the slain best... I mean, I learned from her. I'm like, second-best when it comes to her. She fights like no other. She has the full package... Wit _and_ strength. You don't see that every century. All she's ever wanted to do is please him. And he just _isn't_ with her, for some reason. She's never done anything to him. She's always obeyed. She's even went above and beyond for him. But she always comes in second place. And that is what bothers her most of all."

"Ah, now I see why she's never talked about you with me," Var remarked. "You're like the teacher's pet asshole. You know, the asshole who's friends with the teacher and so the teacher favours the asshole and pays no attention to the valedictorian. And for her to go through centuries putting up with that over and over? That sucks big time."

Tamsin picked up her speed, not liking what Var had said.

"I still like you. That's why I'm offering to help. If there's anything I can do..." Var hinted.

"I don't need your help."

"Oh really? Well let me just let you in on a secret."

"Buzz off."

"If you didn't have me around, your little shapeshifter cop partner would've found you by now."

"What the hell are you?" Tamsin asked.

"I'm some kind of Incubus mix," Var stated plainly. "But I cover your scent."

"So you're a mutt. Great."

Tamsin scanned the forest, looking for signs of movement.

"Big help you are," she stated facetiously once she noticed no one else was present in the woods. "Dumbass."

"Jezebel told me she stumbled upon them here! I swear!" Var protested. "Unless..."

"Unless what?" Tamsin asked sharply.

"Well... She was present when he gave you the proposition, right?"

"Yeah..."

"So she knows the consequences if you don't bring him his mark."

"Where're you going with this?"

"If she warned the Blood King that you were after him, he would have time to hide and you wouldn't ever be able to find him," Var explained. "Then she wouldn't have to kill her competition. The Wanderer would have to."

Tamsin stood still and silent, completely stunned. She was surprised that Var could even think so complexly and that Jezebel would stoop so low.

"I mean, she wouldn't be breaking the Valkyrie code of never killing her own kind..." Var remarked. Tamsin cried out in frustration.

"That bitch," Tamsin muttered. "I gotta go... Somewhere. I don't know where."

Var stared at Tamsin questioningly. Tamsin sighed and realised he still wasn't going anywhere.

"To the Dal," she decided. "And we're using your car."


	14. Chapter 14

"Dyson, we need to figure out how to do this... Without revealing myself or giving away my location," Trick told him.

"I don't know what we could possibly do. He's got them in his clutches and Tamsin is out to get you. I knew she was up to no good..." Dyson muttered.

"Yeah, okay. You knew she was up to no good..." Trick scoffed. "Then why didn't you do anything? Huh? Why didn't you do anything? Maybe because you actually _didn't_ know."

Dyson rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms and turned away from Trick. He knew Trick was right, but he didn't want to admit it. He suddenly heard a soft noise outside. His ears perked up and he tried to concentrate on what he was hearing.

"Dyson, what's—"

"Shhh... I hear something."

Trick couldn't hear what Dyson was hearing, but he didn't argue. Dyson heard two steady beats, a light one and a heavier one.

Whatever creature this is, it's either two beings with two legs or one creature with four, Dyson thought. If it's two beings, the light footsteps would belong to a female. We'd be outnumbered. I can't expect Trick to fight.

The footsteps stopped and it bothered Dyson that he couldn't hear anything else happening.

"Dyson—" Trick called, but was abruptly cut off. Dyson whirled around and saw Tamsin clamping her hand over the Blood King's mouth.

"Tamsin—how'd you get in here?" Dyson wondered aloud.

"I'm not an idiot," Tamsin retorted as she tied Trick up.

"I can't let you take him..." Dyson warned her as he took a few steps closer.

"Did Wolfman form a little attachment? Aw. Too cute," Tamsin taunted. Dyson began to growl at her. She only smiled in response and called, "Var."

Var came up from behind her, stood by her side and replied, "Yeah?"

"Take _this_ for me," Tamsin commanded, giving Trick to him. "But don't leave just yet."

Dyson lunged at the man, who he discovered to be the source of the thing that had been masking Tamsin's scent earlier, but before he could do any damage, Tamsin caught him by the throat and slammed him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him. Dyson growled once more and jumped up, ready for another blow. During the time it took for Dyson to get up, Tamsin had readied herself for transition in case it was necessary.

"C'mon, Dyson... You remember how this ended last time, right? Just give it up already!" Tamsin told him.

"You remember how I was last time, right?" Dyson asked, mimicking her tone. "I don't go down without a fight. YOU give up already!"

Dyson growled, grabbed her by the throat, and pressed her against the wall.

"You're weak, Tamsin. I can feel you languishing. Give it up and we can go home, uninjured."

Tamsin's brows raised at his cocky remark and she bore her true face. She felt Dyson's grip around her neck loosen a little before he let go completely, grasping at his head and howling.

"I could've sworn I told you never to mess with a Valkyrie," she scolded him. She took a step forward, causing him to take a step back. "I guess you're one of the ones who don't learn their lesson."

"Tamsin... Do this for Bo," Dyson pleaded. Bo would never forgive him if he hurt Tamsin. He saw a little flicker of recognition and then remorse in Tamsin's eyes for a split second, but it went as quickly as it came.

Tamsin stared at him a little longer until she saw his eyes begin to roll back in his head. She got rid of her skeletal face as the shapeshifter dropped to the ground unconscious. She crossed her arms and smiled to herself, partly because of her triumph and partly because she was still conscious. She walked out to meet Var who was just closing the trunk as she came out.

"That was quick," he remarked. "Ready?"

"Never been readier," Tamsin replied. But instead of sitting in the front seat with him, she slid into the back seat. Var didn't question it, thou he wondered about her sudden seclusion. Tamsin kept her arms crossed as she sat silently alone. Dyson's words echoed in her suddenly pounding head.

_'Do this for Bo...' he said_, she remembered. _Bo? Do I know a Bo?_

Tamsin wondered. This made her worry. Who was this Bo to her? The way Dyson had said the name, it seemed important. Was Bo another employer? But what scared her the most was the way she felt when he'd said the name. She felt relaxed. It was as if for a moment, she hadn't a care in the world.


End file.
